Information processing apparatus

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus with improved operatability. With the information processing apparatus in which the user is capable of watching a television program and connecting to the Internet, the index panel  1  shows channel buttons  2  to be operated to select a desired program, a site button  71  to be operated to make an access to site A available on the Internet and a site button  72  to be operated to make an access to site B on the Internet. The present invention allows the user to watch a television program and can be applied to an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer, which can be connected to the Internet.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processingapparatus and, more particularly, relates to an information processingapparatus with improved operatability.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] In recent years, with development of technologies, there has beenproposed a variety of ways to display a television program and a webpage made available on the Internet on the screen of a single apparatusby switching the screen from the television program to the web page orvice versa.

[0003] There also exists an apparatus having not only functions to watcha television program and inspect a web page, but also other functionssuch as a function to watch a video program, functions to send andreceive emails and an album function to display a static picture storedon a predetermined storage medium.

[0004] In addition, the apparatus having such a variety of functions isalso provided with a predetermined button to be operated in order todisplay an index panel (or an operation panel) on a display unit so asto allow the user to switch from one function to another with ease.

[0005]FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a typical display of the conventionalindex panel.

[0006] On the top row of the index panel 1, there are displayed channelbuttons 2 to be operated in order to switch the screen from a displayedtelevision program to another. From the left to the right on the secondrow, there are displayed a video button 3, an Internet button 4, a mailbutton 5 and an album button 6. The video button 3 is a button to beoperated in order to switch to a video input. The Internet button 4 is abutton to be operated in order to establish a connection with theInternet. The mail button 5 is a button to be operated in order to sendor receive an email. The album button 6 is a button to be operated inorder to display a static picture.

[0007] Thus, even while the user is watching a television program, theuser is allowed to display the index panel 1 and, for example, operatethe Internet button 4 to establish a connection with the Internet sothat a web page can be displayed.

[0008] With such an index panel 1, however, there is raised a problem ofan incapability of directly displaying a desired web page.

[0009] That is to say, in order for the user to display a desired webpage with a television program appearing on the screen, the user mustcarry out operations to first display the index panel 1 and then operatethe Internet button 4 before selecting the desired web site among thosecataloged in a bookmark or the like.

[0010] Thus, by separately providing the index panel 1 with a buttonallowing a direct access to a desired web site to be made in the sameway as an access, which is made when the channel of a television programis switched from one to another, further improvement of theoperatability can be expected.

[0011] In addition, in the present state where development of networktechnologies eliminates a fence between television programs and contents(or web pages) made available on the Internet, it is desirable toprovide a capability of displaying contents in the same way asdisplaying a selected television program.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

[0012] It is thus an object of the present invention addressing theabove problems to improve the operatability of an apparatus capable ofdisplaying both television programs and web pages.

[0013] An information processing apparatus provided by the presentinvention is characterized in that the information processing apparatusincludes display processing means for displaying a first operationbutton to be operated in order to display a predetermined televisionprogram conveyed by a television broadcast wave and a second operationbutton to be operated in order to make an access to a specific contenton a network, wherein the first and second operation buttons aredisplayed on the same screen.

[0014] The apparatus may further provide acquisition means for acquiringoperation button information required for displaying the secondoperation button.

[0015] The acquisition means can be used for acquiring the operationbutton information from an information providing apparatus for providingthe operation button information by way of the network.

[0016] The acquisition means can also be used for acquiring theoperation button information from a predetermined storage medium forrecording the operation button information.

[0017] The apparatus may further provide charging means for charging afee for the operation button information.

[0018] An information processing method provided by the presentinvention is characterized in that the information processing methodincludes a display processing step of displaying a first operationbutton to be operated in order to display a predetermined televisionprogram conveyed by a television broadcast wave and a second operationbutton to be operated in order to make an access to a specific contenton a network, wherein the first and second operation buttons aredisplayed on the same screen.

[0019] A first recording medium provided by the present invention as arecording medium for recording a program is characterized in that theprogram includes a display processing step of displaying a firstoperation button to be operated in order to display a predeterminedtelevision program conveyed by a television broadcast wave and a secondoperation button to be operated in order to make an access to a specificcontent on a network, wherein the first and second operation buttons aredisplayed on the same screen.

[0020] A first program provided by the present invention ischaracterized in that the first program includes a display processingstep of displaying a first operation button to be operated in order todisplay a predetermined television program conveyed by a televisionbroadcast wave and a second operation button to be operated in order tomake an access to a specific content on a network. The first and secondoperation buttons are displayed on the same screen.

[0021] An information providing apparatus provided by the presentinvention is characterized in that the information providing apparatusincludes: storage means for storing operation button informationrequired for displaying a second operation button to be operated inorder to display a specific content on a network on the same screen inan information processing apparatus as a first operation button to beoperated in order to select a predetermined television program conveyedby a television broadcast wave; and providing means for providing theoperation button information stored in the storage means to theinformation processing apparatus.

[0022] An information providing method provided by the present inventionis characterized in that the information providing method includes: astorage step of storing operation button information required fordisplaying a second operation button to be operated in order to make anaccess to a specific content on a network on the same screen in aninformation processing apparatus as a first operation button to beoperated in order to select a predetermined television program conveyedby a television broadcast wave; and a providing step of providing theoperation button information stored in processing carried out at thestorage step to the information processing apparatus.

[0023] The method may further provide a charging step of charging a feefor the operation button information provided at the providing step tothe information processing apparatus.

[0024] The method may further provide a step of pre-installing theoperation button information in the information processing apparatus.

[0025] The method may further provide a charging step of charging a feefor pre-installation of the operation button information in theinformation processing apparatus to another information processingapparatus.

[0026] The method may further provide a formation step of forming guidetimes of streaming contents to be displayed in the informationprocessing apparatus in accordance with an operation carried out on thesecond operation button.

[0027] At the formation step, the guide times of streaming contents areformed in accordance with the user of the information processingapparatus.

[0028] A second recording medium provided by the present invention as arecording medium for recording a program is characterized in that theprogram includes: a storage control step of controlling an operation tostore operation button information required for displaying a secondoperation button to be operated in order to display a predeterminedcontent on the same screen in an information processing apparatus as afirst operation button to be operated in order to select a predeterminedtelevision program conveyed by a television broadcast wave; and aninformation providing control step of controlling an operation toprovide the operation button information stored in processing carriedout at the storage control step to the information processing apparatus.

[0029] A second program provided by the present invention ischaracterized in that the second program includes: a storage controlstep of controlling an operation to store operation button informationrequired for displaying a second operation button to be operated inorder to display a predetermined content on the same screen in aninformation processing apparatus as a first operation button to beoperated in order to select a predetermined television program conveyedby a television broadcast wave; and an information providing controlstep of controlling an operation to provide the operation buttoninformation stored in processing carried out at the storage control stepto the information processing apparatus.

[0030] In accordance with the information processing apparatus, theinformation processing method, the recording medium and the program,which are provided by the present invention, a first operation button tobe operated in order to display a predetermined television programconveyed by a television broadcast wave as well as a second operationbutton to be operated in order to make an access to a specific contenton a network are displayed and, in addition, the first and secondoperation buttons are displayed on the same screen.

[0031] In accordance with the information providing apparatus, theinformation providing method, the recording medium and the program,which are provided by the present invention, operation buttoninformation is provided to an information processing apparatus to bestored therein as information required for displaying a second operationbutton to be operated in order to display a specific content on the samescreen as a first operation button to be operated in order to display apredetermined television program conveyed by a television broadcastwave.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0032]FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a typical display of the conventionalindex panel;

[0033]FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a typical configuration of aninformation providing system to which the present invention is applied;

[0034]FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a typical display of an index panel;

[0035]FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a typical configuration of abase station shown in FIG. 2;

[0036]FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a typical configuration of adisplay apparatus shown in FIG. 2;

[0037]FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a typical configuration of aportal-site management apparatus shown in FIG. 2;

[0038]FIG. 7 shows a flowchart representing a process carried out by theportal-site management apparatus;

[0039]FIG. 8 shows a flowchart representing a process carried out by aninformation processing apparatus;

[0040]FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a typical display appearing on thedisplay apparatus;

[0041]FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another typical display appearing onthe display apparatus;

[0042]FIG. 11 shows a flowchart representing another process carried outby the portal-site management apparatus;

[0043]FIG. 12 shows a flowchart representing another process carried outby the information processing apparatus;

[0044]FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a further typical display appearingon the display apparatus;

[0045]FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a still further typical displayappearing on the display apparatus;

[0046]FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a typical configuration of anotherinformation providing system to which the present invention is applied;

[0047]FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing a maker apparatus shown in FIG.15;

[0048]FIG. 17 shows a flowchart representing a further process carriedout by the portal-site management apparatus;

[0049]FIG. 18 shows a flowchart representing a process carried out bythe maker apparatus;

[0050]FIG. 19 shows a flowchart representing another process carried outby the maker apparatus; and

[0051]FIG. 20 shows a flowchart representing a further process carriedout by the information processing apparatus.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT INVENTION

[0052]FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a typical configuration of aninformation providing system to which the present invention is applied.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 4, a base station 21 has a communication antenna96 allowing radio communications with a display apparatus 31 to becarried out.

[0054] In addition, the base station 21 also has a television-broadcastreception antenna 22, which makes the base station 21 capable ofreceiving a television broadcast wave of a selected channel specified byinformation received from the display apparatus 31. Then, the basestation 21 extracts a program signal from the received televisionbroadcast wave and converts the extracted program signal into a digitalsignal. Subsequently, the base station 21 compresses the digital signalin an MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group)-2 format before finallytransmitting the compressed signal to the display apparatus 31 by radiocommunication from the communication antenna 96.

[0055] In the display apparatus 31, the program data transmitted by thebase station 21 is decompressed and reproduced to display images of aprogram on an LCD 34 and output sounds to speakers 35-1 and 35-2. On theother hand, carrying the display apparatus 31, the user is capable ofspecifying a channel or another item by operating a variety of operationbuttons provided on an operation unit 32 or using a touch pen 33. Thus,the user is capable of watching a television program while freely movingfrom allocation to another.

[0056] In addition, the base station 21 is also connected to theInternet 51 by a network such as a public line network. Accordingly, thebase station 21 is capable of acquiring data described in a languagesuch as an HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) by making an access to aportal-site management apparatus 61 also connected to the Internet 51.Such an access is made by specifying a URL (Uniform Resource Locator)entered by the user to the display apparatus 31 to be transmitted by thedisplay apparatus 31 to the base station 21.

[0057] Much like a television program, the acquired data is transmittedto the display apparatus 31 to be displayed on the LCD 34. As a result,while freely moving from a location to another, the user is capable ofutilizing the display apparatus 31 to use a variety of contents providedby content management apparatus 62-1 to 62-3 in the same way as watchinga television program.

[0058] In addition, by using the display apparatus 31, the user is alsocapable of sending as well as receiving emails and displaying a staticimage, which is stored in a memory card 37 mounted on a memory card slot36 as a storage medium, on the LCD 34.

[0059] In the following description, both the base station 21 and thedisplay apparatus 31 are referred to simply as an information processingapparatus in case it is not necessary to distinguish the base station 21and the display apparatus 31 from each other.

[0060] By operating an index display button provided on the operationunit 32, the user is capable of carrying out operations such as anoperation to change a displayed television program to another and anoperation to display an index panel on the LCD 34. The index panel isused for selecting a function among a variety of functions of theinformation processing apparatus. The functions of the informationprocessing apparatus include a television-program inspection function, aweb-page inspection function and an email function.

[0061]FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a typical display of an index panel 1appearing on the LCD 34. Elements identical with their respectivecounterparts shown in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numeralsas the counterparts. It is to be noted that, if the user operates anindex-panel display button while watching a television program, theindex panel 1 is displayed, being superposed on the video of theprogram.

[0062] On the top row of the index panel 1, there are displayed channelbuttons 2 to be operated in order to activate the television-programinspection function for selecting a television program.

[0063] The channel buttons 2 are channel buttons 2-1 to 2-7, which arearranged from the left to the right. The channel button 2-1 is a channelbutton to be operated in order to display a program broadcasted by a‘CHK General’ channel. The channel button 2-2 is a channel button to beoperated in order to display a program broadcasted by a ‘CHK Education’channel. The channel button 2-3 is a channel button to be operated inorder to display a program broadcasted by a ‘JSY Television’ channel.The channel button 2-4 is a channel button to be operated in order todisplay a program broadcasted by a ‘TSK Television’ channel. The channelbutton 2-5 is a channel button to be operated in order to display aprogram broadcasted by a ‘Fuku Television’ channel. The channel button2-6 is a channel button to be operated in order to display a programbroadcasted by a ‘Television Yuhi’ channel. The channel button 2-7 is achannel button to be operated in order to display a program broadcastedby a ‘Television Tozai’ channel.

[0064] By applying the touch pen 33 to a touch panel 116 shown in FIG.5, the user is capable of selecting a desired channel among the channelsrepresented by the channel buttons 2. The touch panel 116 is a layerstacked on the LCD 34.

[0065] At the left end of the second row of the index panel 1, there isdisplayed a video button 3 to be operated in order to display a videosignal or the like supplied by a signal source connected to the basestation 21. Examples of the signal source, which is shown in none of thefigure, are a video recorder and a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) player.

[0066] At an adjacent location on the right side of the video button 3,there is displayed an Internet button 4 to be operated in order toestablish a connection with the Internet 51 by dialing up apredetermined Internet provider. When the Internet button 4 is operated,typically, an access to the portal-site management apparatus 61 is madeto display a portal site (or a web page) managed by the portal-sitemanagement apparatus 61 on the LCD 34.

[0067] Then, referring to various kinds of information displayed on theportal site, for example, the user is allowed to enter typically akeyword of a desired content in order to utilize a content managed bythe content management apparatus 62-1 to 62-3, that is, in order todisplay a web page on the LCD 34.

[0068] At an adjacent location on the right side of the Internet button4, a mail button 5 is displayed. By operating the mail button 5 by usingthe touch pen 33, the user is capable of sending and receiving emails toand from a variety of apparatus connected to the Internet 51.

[0069] At an adjacent location on the right side of the mail button 5,an album button 6 is displayed. When the user mounts a memory card 37used for storing static pictures on the memory card slot 36 and thenoperates the album button 6, the user is capable of displaying thestatic pictures stored in the memory card 37 on the LCD 34.

[0070] At an adjacent location on the right side of the album button 6,there is displayed a site button 71 to be operated in order to make anaccess to site A so as to display a screen of site A. At an adjacentlocation on the right side of the site button 71, there is displayed asite button 72 to be operated in order to make an access to site B so asto display a screen of site B.

[0071] By operating the site button 71 or 72, the user is capable ofdirectly displaying a picture of site A or B without operating theInternet button 4 to make an access to the portal-site managementapparatus 61 and carry out a predetermined search operation.

[0072] It is to be noted that information on the site button 71 or 72can be downloaded from, for example, the portal-site managementapparatus 61 as will be described later. The site button 71, the sitebutton 72 and a streaming content button 201 to be described later byreferring to FIG. 13 are referred to hereafter simply as a site buttonif it is not necessary to distinguish them from each other. Thus, a sitebutton can be interpreted as a button to be operated in order to make adirect access to a web site.

[0073] In the example shown in FIG. 3, on the lower right portion of theindex panel 1, there is displayed a setting button 7 to be operated inorder to carry out various kinds of setting.

[0074] By operating such an index panel 1, the user is capable ofselecting a television program or a web site to be accessed.

[0075] Refer back to FIG. 2. The portal-site management apparatus 61acquires contents provided by the content management apparatus 62-1 to62-3 and address information. The portal-site management apparatus 61also manages portal sites for giving various kinds of information to theuser of the information processing apparatus. In addition, theportal-site management apparatus 61 carries out processes to keep aplurality of pieces of information on a site button, provide theinformation on a site button at a request made by the user and collect afee for the provided information on a site button.

[0076] The content management apparatus 62-1 to 62-3 create and managecontents such as a content of a web site and a streaming content, whichare described typically in a language such as the HTML. In addition, thecontent management apparatus 62-1 to 62-3 also create information on asite button. Such information on a site button allows the informationprocessing apparatus to make a direct access to a site managed by thecontent management apparatus 62-1 to 62-3. The content managementapparatus 62-1 to 62-3 catalog the information on a site button in theportal-site management apparatus 61.

[0077] Next, configurations of the base station 21, the display theapparatus 31 and the portal-site management apparatus 61 are explained.

[0078]FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a typical configuration of thebase station 21 shown in FIG. 2.

[0079] In accordance with a command entered from an input unit 86 and acommand received from the display apparatus 31 through the communicationantenna 96, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 81 loads a control programstored in a ROM (Read Only Memory) 83 into a RAM (Random Access Memory)84 and executes the control program to control operations of othercomponents connected to a bus 82.

[0080] A flash memory 85 is a non-volatile memory used for storingvarious kinds of data. The input unit 86 includes a mouse and akeyboard, outputting a signal representing an input entered by the userto the CPU 81.

[0081] A communication unit 87 includes a modem and/or a terminaladaptor, transmitting and receiving various kinds of information to andfrom a variety of information processing apparatus connected to theInternet 51. The communication unit 87 passes on an acquired HTML fileand data such as information on a site button downloaded from theportal-site management apparatus 61 to a changeover switch 90.

[0082] A station select unit 88 extracts a predetermined program signalfrom a television broadcast wave received by the television-broadcasttransmission/reception antenna 22 on the basis of a command issued bythe CPU 81. The station select unit 88 then supplies the extractedprogram signal to a signal processing unit 89 for carrying out processeson the program signal. The processes include demodulation processing,amplification processing and analog-to-digital conversion processing.The signal processing unit 89 supplies a result of the processes to achangeover switch 90.

[0083] The changeover switch 90 selects either its terminal 90-1 or 90-2for receiving data to be supplied to a compression process unit 91.Assume for example that the user makes a request for a reproduction of atelevision program by operating the display apparatus 31. In this case,the changeover switch 90 passes on the data of the television programreceived from the signal processing unit 89 to the compression processunit 91 in accordance with a command received from the CPU 81. If theuser makes a request for a display of a web page by operating thedisplay apparatus 31, on the other hand, the changeover switch 90 passeson an HTML file received from the bus 82 to the compression process unit91.

[0084] By adoption of a predetermined method, the compression processunit 91 compresses the television program data or the HTML file receivedfrom the changeover switch 90 and supplies data obtained as a result ofthe compression process to a transmission buffer 92. The communicationbuffer 92 then outputs the data received from the compression processunit 91 to a transmission process unit 93 with a timing determined bythe CPU 81.

[0085] The transmission process unit 93 carries out processes on thedata received from the communication buffer 92 and outputs a signalobtained as a result of the processes to a communication control unit95. The processes include modulation processing and digital-to-analogconversion processing. The communication control unit 95 transmits thesignal received from the transmission process unit 93 to the displayapparatus 31 by way of the communication antenna 96 by adopting a radiocommunication method conforming to typically the IEEE (Institute ofElectrical and Electronics Engineers) 802.11b.

[0086] A reception process unit 94 carries out processes such asdemodulation processing and digital-to-analog conversion processing on asignal received from the communication control unit 95, which hasreceived the signal from the display apparatus 31 through thecommunication antenna 96. An example of the signal is the URL of a webserver to be accessed. The reception process unit 94 then supplies aresult of the processes to the CPU 81 by way of the bus 82.

[0087]FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a typical configuration of thedisplay apparatus 31 shown in FIG. 2.

[0088] In accordance with a signal received from the operation unit 32or the touch panel 116, a CPU 111 loads a control program stored in aROM 113 into a RAM 114 and executes the program to control alloperations of the display apparatus 31.

[0089] A flash memory 115 is used for storing various kinds ofinformation such as the address of a web site. The address of a web siteis an address cataloged by the user in the bookmark or an address, whichis accessed when the site button described above is operated.

[0090] The touch panel 116 is stacked on the LCD 34 as a layer. When theuser touches a position on the touch panel 116 by using a touch pen 33,the touch panel 116 detects the touched position and suppliesinformation on the detected position to the CPU 111.

[0091] In accordance with a command received from the CPU 111, a memorycard drive 117 reads out and writes various kinds of data into and froma memory card 37 inserted into the memory card slot 36. For example, thememory card driver 117 reads out information on a site button from thememory card 37 and supplies the information to components such as theflash memory 115.

[0092] The operation unit 32 includes a variety of buttons to beoperated by the user to enter a variety of inputs. The operation unit 32supplies an entered input to the CPU 111. The operation unit 32 includesan index display button to be operated in order to display the indexpanel 1 like the one shown in FIG. 3.

[0093] A communication control unit 119 transmits a signal received froma transmission process unit 126 to the base station 21 by way of acommunication antenna 118. On the other hand, the communication controlunit 119 receives a signal from the base station 21 through thecommunication antenna 118 and supplies the signal to a reception processunit 120.

[0094] The reception process unit 120 carries out processes on an analogsignal received from the communication control unit 119. The processesinclude amplification processing, demodulation processing andanalog-to-digital conversion processing. The reception process unit 120then supplies digital data obtained as a result of the analog-to-digitalconversion processing to a reception buffer 121.

[0095] The reception buffer 121 then outputs the data received from thereception process unit 120 to a decompression process unit 122 with apredetermined timing.

[0096] If the data received from the reception buffer 121 is compresseddata, the decompression process unit 122 decompresses the data andconverts the decompressed digital data into analog picture and audiosignal. The picture signal is output to a picture signal process unit123 and the audio signal is supplied to an audio signal process unit124.

[0097] The picture signal process unit 123 displays the picture signalreceived from the decompression process unit 122 typically on the LCD34. On the other hand, the audio signal process unit 124 outputs theaudio signal received from the decompression process unit 122 tospeakers 35-1 and 35-2. With the configuration described above, atelevision program signal received from the base station 21 by radiocommunication in a state of being compressed by adoption of typicallythe MPEG2 method is reproduced and displayed to the user.

[0098]FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a typical configuration of theportal-site management apparatus 61.

[0099] A CPU 141 loads a control program stored in a ROM 142 into a RAM143 and executes the program to control all operations of theportal-site management apparatus 61. The RAM 143 is also used properlyfor storing data required by the CPU 141 in the execution of variouskinds of processing.

[0100] The CPU 141, the ROM 142 and the RAM 143 are connected to eachother by a bus 144, which is also connected to an input/output interface145.

[0101] The input/output interface 145 is connected to an input unit 146,an output unit 147 and a communication unit 148. Operated by the personin charge of management of the portal-site management apparatus 61, theinput unit 146 includes components such as a keyboard and a mouse. Theoutput unit 147 includes components such as a display unit and speakers.The display unit is typically a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) or an LCD fordisplaying various kinds of information to the person in charge ofmanagement. The communication unit 148 includes components such as amodem and a terminal adapter, which transmit and receive various kindsof information to and from the Internet 51.

[0102] The input/output interface 145 is also connected to a site-buttoninformation storage unit 149, a content management information storageunit 150 and a user management information storage unit 151.

[0103] The site-button information storage unit 149 is used for storingor cataloging information on a site button in a state of beingdownloadable in accordance with a request received from an informationprocessing apparatus. The information on a site button is provided tothe communication unit 148 by typically the content management apparatus62-1 to 62-3.

[0104] The content management information storage unit 150 is typicallyused for storing content information managed by the content managementapparatus 62-1 to 62-3. The content information includes the substanceof each content and an address indicating which location the content isstored at. The content management information storage unit 150 providesvarious kinds of information to a user making an access thereto.

[0105] The user management information storage unit 151 is used forstoring information on users utilizing portal sites. Typically, theinformation on a user is stored, being associated with an ID issued inadvance for the user. To be more specific, the information on a userincludes personal information, historical information of each web siteaccessed by the user and charging information. The personal informationincludes the name and address of the user. The charging informationincludes the number of a credit card to which the fee for downloadedinformation on a site button is to be charged.

[0106] In addition, the input/output interface 145 is connected to adrive 152, on which a recording medium is to be mounted, if necessary.The recording medium mounted on the drive 152 can be a magnetic disc153, an optical disc 154, a magneto-optical disc 155, a semiconductormemory 156 (that is, the memory card 37) or the like. Data read out fromthe recording medium is supplied to an appropriate storage unit andother components.

[0107] Next, operations carried out by the information providing systemshown in FIG. 2 are explained.

[0108] First of all, a process carried out by the portal-site managementapparatus 61 to catalog information on a site button is described byreferring to a flowchart shown in FIG. 7.

[0109] At the step S1, the CPU 141 acquires information on a site buttonfrom the communication unit 148. One of the content management apparatus62-1 to 62-3 has transmitted the information on a site button to thecommunication unit 148 by way of the Internet 51. Assume for examplethat the information on a site button has been received from the contentmanagement apparatus 62-1. This information on a site button can be usedlater to make an access to a web site managed by the content managementapparatus 62-1. This is because the information on a site buttonincludes the address of the web site.

[0110] Then, at the next step S2, the CPU 141 stores the acquiredinformation on a site button in the site-button information storage unit149 and catalogs the site button on a download page shown in FIG. 10 asa select button to be described later. The download page is a pagedisplayed to the user of the information processing apparatus to allowthe user to download the information on a desired site button byoperating the select button.

[0111] That is to say, in the portal-site management apparatus 61, therehas been prepared a web page used for downloading information on a sitebutton. The web page is appropriately referred to hereafter as thedownload page cited above. By carrying out the process shown in FIG. 7repeatedly, a plurality of site buttons can be cataloged on the downloadpage and pieces on information on the site buttons can be stored in thesite-button information storage unit 149. Thus, the user is capable ofdownloading desired information on a site button by making an access tothe download page.

[0112] As described above, the content management apparatus 62-1 to 62-3provide information on a site button to the portal-site managementapparatus 61 by way of the Internet 51. It is to be noted, however, thatthe information on a site button can also be provided from apredetermined recording medium, which can be any one of the recordingmediums including those ranging from the magnetic disc 153 to thesemiconductor memory 156 shown in FIG. 6. If the information on a sitebutton is provided from an optical disc 154 such as a CD-ROM (CompactDisc-Read Only Memory) or a DVD, the drive 152 reads out the informationfrom the optical disc 154 and supplies the information to thesite-button information storage unit 149 to be stored therein inaccordance with control executed by the CPU 141.

[0113] By referring to a flowchart shown in FIG. 8, the followingdescription explains a process carried out by the information processingapparatus to acquire (or download) information on a site button.

[0114] At the step S11, in accordance with a command given by the user,the CPU 81 employed in the base station 21 controls the communicationunit 87 to make an access to a portal site managed by the portal-sitemanagement apparatus 61.

[0115] In an operation to inspect a portal site by making such anaccess, the user typically operates the index display button of theoperation unit 32 provided on the display apparatus 31 in order todisplay the index panel 1 like the one shown in FIG. 3 on the LCD 34 andthen operates the Internet button 4 by using the touch pen 33.

[0116] If the CPU 111 employed in the display apparatus 31 determines inaccordance with an input from the touch panel 116 that the Internetbutton 4 has been operated, the CPU 111 controls a transmitted-signalgeneration unit 125 to generate a control signal making a request for anaccess to the portal site and transmit the signal to the base station 21by way of the communication antenna 118 after being subjected to apredetermined process in the transmission process unit 126.

[0117] In the base station 21, the communication antenna 96 receives thecontrol signal and the reception process unit 94 carries out apredetermined process on the signal. The processed control signal isthen supplied to the CPU 81.

[0118] When an access to the portal site is made in the processingdescribed above, the CPU 81 employed in the base station 21 acquires anHTML file of a main screen from the portal-site management apparatus 61at the next step S12 and displays the screen on the LCD 34.

[0119] To put it concretely, the HTML file received by the communicationunit 87 is supplied to the terminal 90-2 of the changeover switch 90 byway of the bus 82 to be passed on by the changeover switch 90 to thecompression process unit 91. The compression process unit 91 compressesthe HTML file supplied thereto into data of a predetermined format andsupplies the compressed data to the communication buffer 92. With apredetermined timing, the communication buffer 92 outputs the compresseddata to the transmission process unit 93, which then carries outprocesses on the data. The processes include modulation processing anddigital-to-analog conversion processing. The transmission process unit93 transmits a result of the processes to the display apparatus 31 byway of the communication antenna 96 under control executed by thecommunication control unit 95. It is to be noted that, if the HTML filedoes not need to be compressed, the compression processing can beeliminated. In this case, uncompressed data of the HTML file istransmitted to the display apparatus 31.

[0120] In the display apparatus 31, the reception process unit 120receives the HTML file from the communication antenna 118 and carriesout processes on the file. The processes include predetermineddemodulation processing and analog-to-digital conversion processing. Thereception process unit 120 supplies data obtained as a result of theprocesses to the reception buffer 121, which outputs the data to thedecompression process unit 122 with a predetermined timing. If the datasupplied to the decompression process unit 122 is compressed data, thedecompression process unit 122 decompresses the data to produce apicture signal representing a main screen and supplies the signal to thepicture signal process unit 123. The picture signal process unit 123displays the main screen based on the picture signal supplied thereto onthe LCD 34.

[0121]FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a typical display of the main screenof the portal site.

[0122] On the upper left side of the typical display of the main screenshown in FIG. 9, a program display button 171, a my-menu button 172 andan enjoyment button 173 appear. The program display button 171 is abutton to be operated in order to display an EPG (Electronic ProgramGuide). The my-menu button 172 is a button to be operated in order todisplay a customized menu. The enjoyment button 173 is a button to beoperated in order to display information to be enjoyed today.

[0123] At an adjacent location on the right side of the enjoyment button173, there is displayed a download page button 174 to be operated inorder to display the download page for downloading information on a sitebutton.

[0124] On a row beneath the row displaying the program display button171 to the download page button 174, there is displayed a content menudisplay portion 175 for showing a menu of a variety of contents. Theuser is allowed to select a desired content from the menu.

[0125] At an adjacent location on the right side of the program displaybutton 171 to the download page button 174, there is displayed a banneradvertisement display portion 177 for showing a variety of banneradvertisements. Below the banner advertisement display portion 177,there is displayed a new-information display portion 178 for showing newinformation.

[0126] It is to be noted that a toolbar 176 is provided at the bottom ofthe LCD 34. The toolbar 176 allows the user to carry out a variety ofoperations by using the touch pen 33.

[0127] With the main screen like the one of FIG. 9 displayed, at thestep S13, the CPU 81 employed in the base station 21 forms a judgment asto whether or not the user has entered a command to display the downloadpage used to download information on a site button. This judgment isformed repeatedly till such a command is entered by the user in a stateof waiting for the user to enter the command.

[0128] When the CPU 111 employed in the display apparatus 31 detects anoperation carried out on the download page button 174 on the basis of anoutput generated by the touch panel 116, as described above, a signalmaking a request for an access to the download page is generated andtransmitted to the base station 21.

[0129] Then at the next step S14, the CPU 81 employed in the basestation 21 makes an access to a location for storing the download pageand then displays the download page on the LCD 34.

[0130] Much like the reception of the main screen described above, thecommunication unit 87 employed in the base station 21 receives the HTMLfile of the download page, which appears on the LCD 34 after variouskinds of processing have been carried out in the base station 21 and thedisplay apparatus 31.

[0131]FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a typical display showing thedownload page.

[0132] As shown in the figure, the display shows a typical messagesaying: “Select a site button for downloading”. Under the message, theselect buttons for specifying a site button among a variety of sitebuttons cataloged in the processing shown in FIG. 7 are displayed.

[0133] At the left end of the first row of the array, site button Adenoted by reference numeral 191A, site button B denoted by referencenumeral 191B are displayed. The select button 191A is a button to beoperated in order to download information on the site button 71 shown inFIG. 3. The select button 191B is a button to be operated in order todownload information on the site button 72 shown in FIG. 3. Along thearray, similar select buttons follow the select button 191B. At the endof the array, site button L denoted by reference numeral 191L isdisplayed. Likewise, the last select button 191L is a button to beoperated in order to download information on a site button L. In thedisplay shown in the figure, each of the select buttons is marked with atext. It is to be noted, however, that a select button may be displayedalong with a picture for a site associated with the select button.

[0134] The user selects one of the site buttons appearing on thedownload page shown in the figure. As described above, a site button isa button to be operated in order to make an access to a desired site.The user may additionally catalog the selected site button in the indexpanel 1.

[0135] In the case of the index panel 1 shown in FIG. 3, the user hasselected the select buttons 191A and 191B to catalog the site buttons 71and 72 in the index panel 1 as well as download information on the sitebuttons 71 and 72 respectively. The site buttons 71 and 72 in the indexpanel 1 are buttons to be operated in order to display the screen ofsites A and B respectively.

[0136] Referring back to FIG. 8, at the step S15, on the basis of asignal received from the display apparatus 31, the CPU 81 employed inthe base station 21 forms a judgment as to whether or not the user hasselected a site button, the information on which is to be downloaded(that is, a judgment as to whether or not the user has operated one ofthe select buttons 191A to 191L appearing on the download page). Thisjudgment is formed repeatedly till a site button is selected by the userin a state of waiting. As the CPU 81 determines that a site button hasbeen selected, the flow of the process goes on to a step S16.

[0137] At the step S16, the CPU 81 requests the portal-site managementapparatus 61 to download information on the site button selected by theuser. Then, at the next step S17, the CPU 81 stores an address includedin the downloaded information on the site button in typically the flashmemory 115 employed in the display apparatus 31.

[0138] Subsequently, at the next step S18, the site button, theinformation on which was downloaded, is cataloged (displayed) on theindex panel 1.

[0139] Assume for example that the user operates the select button 191Cby using the touch pen 33 in order to download information on a sitebutton to be operated in order to display the screen of site C. In thiscase, at the step S16, the CPU 81 employed by the base station 21requests the portal-site management apparatus 61 to download informationon the site button, which is associated with site C.

[0140] Then, at the next step S17, the CPU 81 transmits the informationon the site button associated with site C received by the communicationunit 87 as to the display apparatus 31 as described above. The CPU 111employed in the display apparatus 31 receives the site-buttoninformation from the base station 21. The CPU 111 then stores theaddress information of site C included in the site-button informationinto the flash memory 115.

[0141] Subsequently, at the next step S18, the CPU 111 displays the sitebutton associated with site C typically at an adjacent location on theright side of the site button 72.

[0142] When the user operates the site button associated with site C,the display apparatus 31 informs the base station 21 of the address ofsite C. On the basis of the HTML file acquired by the base station 21,the screen of site C is finally displayed on the LCD 34. A processcarried out by the information processing apparatus to make an access toa site specified by a site button will be described hereunder.

[0143] As described above, the address information of a site button isstored in the flash memory 115 employed in the display apparatus 31. Itis to be noted, however, that the address information can also be storedin the base station 21 as well.

[0144] Then, at the next step S19, the CPU 81 carries out a chargingprocess to compute a fee (price) for the downloaded information on thesite button. When the portal-site management apparatus 61 makes arequest that the portal-site management apparatus 61 be informed of thenumber of a credit card, for example, the CPU 81 requests the displayapparatus 31 to display a screen for entering the number of a creditcard on the LCD 34. The portal-site management apparatus 61 is theninformed of a credit card number entered to the screen.

[0145] As an alternative, information such as the number of a creditcard is cataloged in advance in the portal-site management apparatus 61and a user ID based on such information is issued to the user. In thiscase, a charging process based on a user ID is carried out. In thiscase, a screen for inputting a user ID is displayed on the LCD 34 so asto allow the user to enter his/her own user ID.

[0146] The process carried out as described above allows the user tocustomize the index panel 1 as the user likes so that the user iscapable of displaying the screen of a desired web site in the same wayas the capability of selecting a television program. It is to be notedthat the user is also allowed to delete a site button that is no longernecessary.

[0147] By referring to a flowchart shown in FIG. 11, the followingdescription explains a process carried out by the portal-site managementapparatus 61 to provide information on a site button.

[0148] At the step S31, when the information processing apparatusrequests the portal-site management apparatus 61 to download informationon a site button (that is, when one of the select buttons 191A to 191Lon the download page shown in FIG. 10 is operated), the CPU 141 readsout the information on the selected site button from the site-buttoninformation storage unit 149 and provides (transmits) the information tothe information processing apparatus by way of the communication unit148.

[0149] Then, at the next step S32, the CPU 141 carries out a chargingprocess for the provided information on the site button. For example,the CPU 141 issues a request for a notice of a credit card number to theinformation processing apparatus and a predetermined amount of money iscollected by using the credit card number given by the informationprocessing apparatus at the request. Typically, the predetermined amountof the collected money is several hundred yen for every downloadedinformation on a site button.

[0150] As an alternative, information including the number of a creditcard is stored in the user management information storage unit 151 foreach issued user ID. In this case, the CPU 141 issues a request for anotice of a credit card number to the information processing apparatusand a charging process is carried out on the basis of the user ID givenat the request.

[0151] Then, at the next step S33, the CPU 141 updates information onthe user making the request for the downloading of the information onthe site button. The information includes an access record and a recordof purchasing information on a site button.

[0152] The institution managing portal sites can gain a profit byselling information on a site button. In addition, the institutionmanaging portal sites may also collect money from the provider of theinformation on a site button as a fee for cataloging the information inthe portal-site management apparatus 61. In this case, the provider ofthe information on a site button is an institution managing the contentmanagement apparatus 62-1 to 62-3.

[0153] By referring to a flowchart shown in FIG. 12, the followingdescription explains an access process carried out by the informationprocessing apparatus to make an access to a site indicated by anoperated site button.

[0154] At the step S41, the CPU 111 employed in the display apparatus 31forms a judgment as to whether or not the index display button providedon the operation unit 32 has been operated. This judgment is formedrepeatedly till the index display button is operated in a state ofwaiting. As the CPU 111 determines that the index display button hasbeen operated, the flow of the process goes on to a step S42 at whichthe CPU 111 controls the picture signal process unit 123 to display theindex panel 1 on the LCD 43.

[0155] If information on site buttons has already been downloaded in theprocesses described above, the index panel 1 like the one shown in FIG.3 is displayed on the LCD 34.

[0156] Then, at the next step S43, on the basis of an output from thetouch panel 116, the CPU 111 forms a judgment as to whether or not asite button appearing on the index panel 1 has been operated. If the CPU111 determines that a site button has been operated, the flow of theprocess goes on to a step S44.

[0157] At the step S44, the CPU 111 reads out an address of a siteassociated with the operated site button from the flash memory 115 andgenerates a signal specifying the address as a command to make an accessto the address. The CPU 111 then transmits the signal to the basestation 21.

[0158] Then, at the next step S45, the CPU 81 employed in the basestation 21 makes an access to a predetermined site specified by theaddress included in the signal received from the display apparatus 31.

[0159] For example, assume that the user operates the site button 71appearing on the index panel 1 shown in FIG. 3. In this case, theaddress of site A is read out and transmitted to the base station 21after being subjected to a predetermined process. The CPU 81 employed inthe base station 21 then makes an access to site A based on the suppliedinformation, to acquire an HTML file and transmits the file to thedisplay apparatus 31.

[0160] Then, at the next step S46, the CPU 111 employed in the displayapparatus 31 carries out various kinds of processing described above onthe HTML file received from the base station 21 and displays a content(or a web page) provided from the site on the LCD 34.

[0161] The process described above allows the index panel 1 to bedisplayed and a desired site to be shown by merely operating the sitebutton provided on the index panel 1 for the site even while the user iswatching a television program. That is to say, the operatability isimproved if compared with the conventional system in which the indexpanel 1 is first displayed, a connection with the Internet 51 is thenestablished and a desired site is finally selected.

[0162] It is to be noted that another kind of site button can beprovided. The site button of the kind just mentioned is operated notonly to display the screen of a specified site, but also make an accessto an apparatus for managing streaming contents so that a streamingcontent is displayed on the LCD 34.

[0163]FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a further typical display of theindex panel 1. At an adjacent location on the right side of the sitebutton 72, a streaming content button 201 is displayed. The streamingcontent button 201 is a button to be operated in order to make an accessto a site for managing streaming contents so as to display a streamingcontent.

[0164] When the user operates the streaming content button 201, a storedaddress associated with the streaming content button 201 is read out andan access to a site indicated by the address is made in the same way asthe processes, which are carried out when the site button is operated asdescribed above. Then, as the portal-site management apparatus 61transmits a streaming content by way of the Internet 51, the basestation 21 and the display apparatus 31 carry out a variety of processesdescribed above to display the stream content on the LCD 34.

[0165] In this way, the user is capable of selecting and watching astreaming content in the same sense as the operations to select andwatch a television program conveyed by a television broadcast wave.

[0166] In addition, the portal-site management apparatus 61 may compilea guide sequence of streaming contents and their showing times on thebasis of information stored in the content management informationstorage unit 150 to be included in a program schedule, which is thenprovided to the information processing apparatus.

[0167]FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a typical program schedule, whichappears on the LCD 34 when the program display button 171 shown in FIG.9 is operated.

[0168] In this schedule of programs, the vertical direction is thedirection in which time lapses. The schedule of programs showstelevision programs broadcasted by a ‘CHK General’ channel, a ‘CHKEducation’ channel, a ‘JSY Television’ channel, a ‘TSK Television’channel, a ‘Fuku Television’ channel, a ‘Television Yuhi’ channel and a‘Television Tozai’ channel, which are arranged as columns in an orderstarting from the left side.

[0169] At the right-side end of the schedule of programs, there isdisplayed a streaming content guide column 211 created by theportal-site management apparatus 61 by compiling the guide sequence ofstreaming contents and their guide times as described above.

[0170] In the figure, the time 13:00 is used as a start time. Thestreaming content guide column 211 includes content 1, content 2,content 3, content 4 and content 5, which are listed in a chronologicalorder. Thus, when the user merely operates the streaming content button201 appearing on the index panel 1 as shown in FIG. 13 without the needto change (or specify) an access target, the streaming contents aredisplayed on the LCD 34 in the order the contents are listed in thestreaming content guide column 211.

[0171] That is to say, when the user operates the streaming contentbutton 201, the portal-site management apparatus 61 provides theinformation processing apparatus with addresses of the streamingcontents set in the streaming content guide column 211 and times tochange the access target from the address of a current streaming contentto the address of the next streaming content. The provided addresses ofthe streaming contents are stored typically in the flash memory 115employed in the display apparatus 31 and used as a base for selecting anaccess target.

[0172] Thus, the user is capable of watching streaming contents in thesame way as television programs broadcasted by broadcasting stations inaccordance with a schedule shown in a schedule of programs.

[0173] In addition, a desired streaming content can be displayed on theLCD 34 without regard to the show time thereof indicated in a displayedschedule of programs like the one shown in FIG. 14. In this case, eachdisplay of the streaming content shown on the streaming content guidecolumn 211 is linked to a server used for storing the content. The useris allowed to select a desired streaming content by using the touch pen33 in order to display the content. For example, the user is allowed toselect content 3 even during a time frame allocated to content 1.

[0174] Furthermore, the display (or the picture) of the streamingcontent button 201 appearing on the index panel 1 can be modified inaccordance with the substance of a streaming content supposed to beshown at the present time frame. In a time frame allocated to a baseballcontent, for example, a picture such as a ball or bat of the baseball isdisplayed on the streaming content button 201. In a time frame allocatedto content about soccer, on the other hand, a picture of a soccer ballis displayed on the streaming content button 201.

[0175] In this way, the user is capable of verifying the substance of astreaming content assigned to the present time frame without making anaccess to the portal-site management apparatus 61 in order to display aschedule of programs like the one shown in FIG. 14.

[0176] It is to be noted that the streaming contents set in thestreaming content guide column 211 can be obtained as a result ofcompilation in the portal-site management apparatus 61 on the basis ofuser information such as favorites cataloged in advance by the user.

[0177] That is to say, the CPU 141 employed in the portal-sitemanagement apparatus 61 analyzes favorites with the user on the basis ofinformation stored in the user management information storage unit 151in order to form streaming contents. In the case of a user fond ofsports, for example, guide times of streaming contents are set so as todisplay streaming contents of sports continuously. Then, information onthe set streaming content guide column 211 is stored, being associatedwith a user ID of the user for which the information is formed. When theinformation processing apparatus makes an access to the portal-sitemanagement apparatus 61 by specifying a user ID, the portal-sitemanagement apparatus 61 reads out the stored information and providesthe information to the user.

[0178] In addition of a fee for providing such information on a sitebutton and a fee for providing such information on a streaming contentbutton, a fee for providing a program schedule formed on the basis offavorites with the user can also be charged.

[0179] In the explanation described above, data such as information on asite button is presented to the information processing apparatus by wayof the Internet 51. As also described above, however, such data can alsopresented to the information processing apparatus by using a storagemedium such as the memory card 37. As another alternative, data such asinformation on a site button is installed in advance in the informationprocessing apparatus.

[0180]FIG. 15 is a diagram showing another typical configuration of theinformation providing system to which the present invention is applied.Components identical with their respective counterparts shown in FIG. 2are denoted by the same reference numerals and their explanations arerepeated properly only if necessary.

[0181] A maker apparatus 221 is managed typically by a manufacturerproducing the memory card 37 and/or the information processingapparatus. In accordance with a command issued by the portal-sitemanagement apparatus 61, the maker apparatus 221 creates a program to bestored in the memory card 37 or the information processing apparatus.The program created by the maker apparatus 221 and stored in the memorycard 37 or the information processing apparatus includes site buttoninformation provided by the portal-site management apparatus 61.

[0182] Thus, when a memory card 37 containing information on a sitebutton is sold to a user, money representing a fee for the informationon a site button can be charged to the user independently of the priceof the memory card 37. If information on a site button is installed inthe information processing apparatus in advance, a fee for thepreinstalled information on a site button can be charged to theinstitution managing the content management apparatus 62-1 to 62-3 thathas made a request for the pre-installation of the information on a sitebutton.

[0183] It is to be noted that the portal-site management apparatus 61and the maker apparatus 221 do not have to be implemented as a pluralityof apparatus physically separated from each other as shown in FIG. 15.Instead, they can be implemented in a single apparatus.

[0184]FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing a typical configuration of themaker apparatus 221.

[0185] A control unit 231 activates a control program stored in a memoryembedded therein to control all operations of the maker apparatus 221 inaccordance with an input entered by a person in charge of management ofthe maker apparatus 221 via an input unit 232.

[0186] For example, the control unit 231 acquires information on a sitebutton from the portal-site management apparatus 61, which transmits theinformation to a communication unit 233 employed in the maker apparatus221 by way of the Internet 51. The communication unit 233 passes on theinformation on a site button to a preinstall-program creation unit 234or a memory-card-program creation unit 235.

[0187] The preinstall-program creation unit 234 creates a program to bepreinstalled in the information processing apparatus and pre-install thecreated program in the information processing apparatus. The programcreated by the preinstall-program creation unit 234 also includes theinformation on a site button in addition to applications such as thefunction to watch a television program, the mail function and the albumfunction, which have been described above. An information processingapparatus with such a program preinstalled therein is thus capable ofcarrying out the above-described processing to display a site button onthe index panel 1 without downloading information on the site button.

[0188] On the other hand, the memory-card-program creation unit 235creates a program to be stored in the memory card 37 and stores theprogram in the memory card 37. The program created by thememory-card-program creation unit 235 is a program for installinginformation on a site button in the information processing apparatus.When the user mounts the memory card 37 containing the program on thememory card slot 36, the site button can be displayed on the index panel1.

[0189] Operations carried out by the information providing system shownin FIG. 15 are explained as follows.

[0190] First of all, by referring to a flowchart shown in FIG. 17, thefollowing description explains a process carried out by the portal-sitemanagement apparatus 61 to collect a pre-installation fee.

[0191] At the step S61, the CPU 141 accepts a request made by any one ofthe content management apparatus 62-1 to 62-3 to preinstall informationon a site button in the information processing apparatus. Then, at thenext step S62, the CPU 141 reads out the site button information of thesite managed by the content management apparatus 62-1 to 62-3 from thesite-button information storage unit 149 and controls the communicationunit 148 to transmit the information on a site button to the makerapparatus 221.

[0192] Subsequently, at the next step S63, the CPU 141 collects apre-installation fee from one of the content management apparatus 62,which has made the request for the pre-installation. This is because theinformation processing apparatus is expected to make more accesses tothe site associated with the site button by cataloging the informationon a site button can be cataloged in the index panel 1 of theinformation processing apparatus as a default.

[0193] By referring to a flowchart shown in FIG. 18, the followingdescription explains a pre-installation process carried out by the makerapparatus 221.

[0194] At the step S71, the control unit 231 acquires information on asite button from the portal-site management apparatus 61. In the makerapparatus 221, the communication unit 233 receives the information on asite button and passes on the information to the preinstall-programcreation unit 234.

[0195] Then, at the next step S72, the preinstall-program creation unit234 creates a pre-installation program other than a variety ofapplications described earlier. The pre-installation program includesthe information on a site button.

[0196] Subsequently, the preinstall-program creation unit 234 installsthe pre-installation program created at the step S72 in an informationprocessing apparatus produced by carrying out a predetermined process.The information processing apparatus including the preinstalledinformation on a site button is sold through a predetermined salesnetwork such as shopping sites managed by the portal-site managementapparatus 61.

[0197] In this way, the site button is displayed on the index panel 1from the beginning so that the number of users making accesses to thesite associated with the site button is expected to increase.

[0198] As described above, the portal-site management apparatus 61provides information on a site button to the maker apparatus 221 by wayof the Internet 51. It is to be noted, however, that the portal-sitemanagement apparatus 61 can of course provide information on a sitebutton to the maker apparatus 221 by adopting a variety of methods. Forexample, the portal-site management apparatus 61 may provide informationon a site button to the maker apparatus 221 by using any one of therecording mediums ranging from the magnetic disc 153 to thesemiconductor memory 156 shown in FIG. 6.

[0199] By referring to a flowchart shown in FIG. 19, the followingdescription explains a process carried out by the maker apparatus 221 tostore information on a site button in the memory card 37.

[0200] The pieces of processing carried out at steps S81 and S82 arebasically the same as those performed at the steps S71 and S72respectively of the flowchart shown in FIG. 18. To be more specific, atthe step S81, information on a site button is received from theportal-site management apparatus 61 and passed on to thememory-card-program creation unit 235. Then, at the next step S82, thememory-card-program creation unit 235 creates a program to be installedin the memory card. The program includes the information on a sitebutton.

[0201] Subsequently, at the next step S83, the memory-card-programcreation unit 235 stores the program created at the step S82 in thememory card 37.

[0202] The memory card 37 containing the stored information on a sitebutton is sold through a predetermined sales network such as shoppingsites managed by the portal-site management apparatus 61 to users ofinformation processing apparatus to gain revenue from the sales.

[0203] In addition, it is possible to charge a fee for storinginformation on a site button in a memory card 37 to one of the contentmanagement apparatus 62-1 to 62-3, which has made a request to store theinformation in the memory card 37, in the same way as collecting apre-installation fee for installation of information on a site button.

[0204] By referring to a flowchart shown in FIG. 20, the followingdescription explains a process carried out by the information processingapparatus to install information on a site button stored in a memorycard 37.

[0205] At the step S91, the CPU 111 employed in the display apparatus 31determines whether or not a memory card 37 containing stored informationon a site button has been mounted on the memory card slot 36. This isperformed repeatedly till a memory card 37 containing stored informationon a site button is mounted on the memory card slot 36. As the CPU 111determines at the step S91 that a memory card 37 containing storedinformation on a site button has been mounted on the memory card slot36, the flow of the process goes on to a step S92 at which the CPU 111controls the memory card drive 117 to read out the stored information ona site button from the memory card 37.

[0206] Then, at the next step S93, the CPU 111 stores the information ona site button read out from the memory card 37 into the flash memory115. When the index panel display button of the operation unit 32 isoperated, the site button, the information of which has been stored, isdisplayed on the index panel 1.

[0207] In this way, a site button can be added to the index panel 1 notonly by downloading information on a site button, but also by readingout the information from the memory card 37.

[0208] In addition, information on a site button can be acquired notonly through the Internet 51 or a memory card 37, but also by adopting avariety of methods. If the information processing apparatus i's anapparatus designed for receiving digital television broadcasts, forexample, information on a site button can be acquired from a digitaltelevision broadcast and the site button is then cataloged in the indexpanel 1.

[0209] In the embodiments described above, every time information on asite button is downloaded, a fee is charged to the user. However,another kind of fee can also be charged. For example, it is alsopossible to charge a fee depending on the length of a period to displaythe site button, the information of which has been downloaded, on theindex panel 1.

[0210] In addition, the embodiments described above implementinformation processing apparatus including the base station 21 servingas a main apparatus and the display apparatus 31 serving as a displayunit that can be used in a state of being separated from the mainapparatus. However, the present invention can also be applied to aconventional apparatus such as the ordinary television receiver as longas the single apparatus can be connected to the Internet 51 and iscapable of receiving television broadcast waves.

[0211] The series of processes described above can be carried out byusing hardware or software.

[0212] If the series of processes is to be carried out by usingsoftware, programs composing the software are installed in theportal-site management apparatus 61 and the information processingapparatus from typically a network or a recording medium.

[0213] The recording medium from which the programs composing thesoftware are to be installed is package media distributed to usersseparately from the main unit of the apparatus to present the programsto the users. Examples of the package media containing the programs arethe magnetic disc 153 including a floppy disc, the optical disc 154including a CD-ROM and a DVD, the magneto-optical disc 155 including anMD (Mini Disc, a trademark) and the semiconductor memory 156, which areshown in FIG. 6. In addition to the package media, the recording mediaincludes the ROM 142 in which the programs can also be stored inadvance.

[0214] It is needless to say that, in the description chapter, stepsprescribing a program stored in a recording medium represent processesto be carried out in an order the steps are described along the timebase. It is to be noted, however, that the steps do not necessarilyrepresent such sequential processes. Instead, the steps may representprocesses including those to be carried out concurrently orindividually.

[0215] In addition, the technical term “system” used in the descriptionchapter means an entire apparatus combination comprising a plurality ofapparatus.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0216] As described above, in accordance with the present invention, afirst operation button to be operated in order to display apredetermined television program conveyed by a television broadcast waveas well as a second operation button to be operated in order to make anaccess to a specific content on a network are displayed and, inaddition, the first and second operation buttons are displayed on thesame screen to further improve operatability.

[0217] In addition, in accordance with the present invention, in orderto increase revenue, operation button information is provided to aninformation processing apparatus to be stored therein as informationrequired for displaying a second operation button to be operated inorder to display a specific content on the same screen as a firstoperation button to be operated in order to display a predeterminedtelevision program conveyed by a television broadcast wave.

1. An information processing apparatus capable of processing a contentmade available on a network and processing a television broadcast wave,said information processing apparatus comprising display processingmeans for displaying a first operation button to be operated in order todisplay a predetermined television program conveyed by said televisionbroadcast wave and a second operation button to be operated in order tomake an access to a specific content on said network, wherein said firstand second operation buttons are displayed on the same screen.
 2. Aninformation processing apparatus according to claim 1, said informationprocessing apparatus further comprising acquisition means for acquiringoperation button information required for displaying said secondoperation button.
 3. An information processing apparatus according toclaim 2, wherein said acquisition means acquires said operation buttoninformation from an information providing apparatus for providing saidoperation button information by way of said network.
 4. An informationprocessing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said acquisitionmeans acquires said operation button information from a predeterminedstorage medium for recording said operation button information.
 5. Aninformation processing apparatus according to claim 2, said informationprocessing apparatus further comprising charging means for charging afee for said operation button information.
 6. An information processingmethod adopted by an information processing apparatus capable ofprocessing a content made available on a network and processing atelevision broadcast wave, said information processing method comprisinga display processing step of displaying a first operation button to beoperated in order to display a predetermined television program conveyedby said television broadcast wave and a second operation button to beoperated in order to make an access to a specific content on saidnetwork, wherein said first and second operation buttons are displayedon the same screen.
 7. A recording medium for storing acomputer-readable program to be executed by an information processingapparatus capable of processing a content made available on a networkand processing a television broadcast wave, wherein saidcomputer-readable program comprises a display processing step ofdisplaying a first operation button to be operated in order to display apredetermined television program conveyed by said television broadcastwave and a second operation button to be operated in order to make anaccess to a specific content on said network, said first and secondoperation buttons being displayed on the same screen.
 8. A program to beexecuted by a computer for controlling an information processingapparatus capable of processing a content made available on a networkand processing a television broadcast wave, said program comprising adisplay processing step of displaying a first operation button to beoperated in order to display a predetermined television program conveyedby said television broadcast wave and a second operation button to beoperated in order to make an access to a specific content on saidnetwork, said first and second operation buttons being displayed on thesame screen.
 9. An information providing apparatus connected by anetwork to an information processing apparatus capable of processing acontent made available on said network and processing a televisionbroadcast wave, said information providing apparatus comprising: storagemeans for storing operation button information required for displaying asecond operation button to be operated in order to display a specificcontent on said network on the same screen in said informationprocessing apparatus as a first operation button to be operated in orderto select a predetermined television program conveyed by said televisionbroadcast wave; and providing means for providing said operation buttoninformation stored in said storage means to said information processingapparatus.
 10. An information providing method for providing a contentto an information processing apparatus capable of processing a contentmade available on said network and processing a television broadcastwave by way of said network, said information providing methodcomprising: a storage step of storing operation button informationrequired for displaying a second operation button to be operated inorder to make an access to a specific content on said network on thesame screen in said information processing apparatus as a firstoperation button to be operated in order to select a predeterminedtelevision program conveyed by said television broadcast wave; and aproviding step of providing said operation button information stored inprocessing carried out at said storage step to said informationprocessing apparatus.
 11. An information providing method according toclaim 10, further comprising a charging step of charging a fee for saidoperation button information provided in processing carried out at saidproviding step to said information processing apparatus.
 12. Aninformation providing method according to claim 10, further comprising astep of pre-installing said operation button information in saidinformation processing apparatus.
 13. An information providing methodaccording to claim 11, further comprising a charging step of charging afee for pre-installation of said operation button information in saidinformation processing apparatus to another information processingapparatus.
 14. An information providing method according to claim 10,further comprising a formation step of forming guide times of streamingcontents to be displayed in said information processing apparatus inaccordance with an operation carried out on said second operationbutton.
 15. An information providing method according to claim 14,wherein, in processing carried out at said formation step, said guidetimes of streaming contents are formed in accordance with a user of saidinformation processing apparatus.
 16. A recording medium for storing acomputer-readable program of an information providing apparatusconnected by a network to an information processing apparatus capable ofprocessing a content made available on said network and processing atelevision broadcast wave, wherein said computer-readable programcomprises: a storage control step of controlling an operation to storeoperation button information required for displaying a second operationbutton to be operated in order to display said predetermined content onthe same screen in said information processing apparatus as a firstoperation button to be operated in order to select a predeterminedtelevision program conveyed by said television broadcast wave; and aninformation providing control step of controlling an operation toprovide said operation button information stored in processing carriedout at said storage control step to said information processingapparatus.
 17. A program to be executed by a computer for controlling aninformation providing apparatus connected by a network to an informationprocessing apparatus capable of processing a content made available onsaid network and processing a television broadcast wave, said programcomprising: a storage control step of controlling an operation to storeoperation button information required for displaying a second operationbutton to be operated in order to display said predetermined content onthe same screen in said information processing apparatus as a firstoperation button to be operated in order to select a predeterminedtelevision program conveyed by said television broadcast wave; and aninformation providing control step of controlling an operation toprovide said operation button information stored in processing carriedout at said storage control step to said information processingapparatus.